When you initially read the blurb for this book, it sounds like it's going to be a downer. Hospitals, a tragic accident, heartbreak....but I'm so glad I read this book! The author does a brilliant job of turning a tragic story into a page turning, engaging novel. I couldn't stop reading it and read more than half of it in one day. Margaret struggles in all aspects of her life and the author portrays her feelings in a very real, honest way. Not only does she struggle with how her life will change, there is also family drama to deal with that existed before her accident but was magnified after it.

The characters in this book was what connected me so much to this story and kept me reading. In addition to Margaret, I also loved her sister Kit. Oh and Ian, the Scottish psychical therapist? SWOON. I literally want to hang out with them all for an afternoon! This book has so much depth and emotion but also makes you laugh while exploring serious topics. What defines happiness? What defines a happy ending?

There were a few things I didn't like about the book that knocked a star off the rating. I won't spoil anything, and I can't say exactly what they are without spoilers, but the general idea is that I felt there were some choices made int the name of making a good story/romance aspect of it all (in my opinion) and took away a bit of how realistic the story was. BUT it didn't take away from the writing style and likeability of these wonderful characters! I definitely recommend this book!

Very good book. Hope, love, family, real life all together

This is an easy to read story that was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages; it was a good beach read (I only wish I was on the beach when I read it;) I found myself rooting for and protective of the main character. There was enough medical detail to keep it real and a good romance threaded throughout the story.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Up in the Air

Margaret has her entire life figured out. She has been unofficially hired for her dream job and is about to be proposed to by the perfect on paper boy next door. She is young, smart, and beautiful.

So what happens?

Life usually has a few surprises in store and a big one is in store for Margaret who must overcome a life re-defining accident and learn to metaphorically stand again on her own two feet.

Told with warmth and humor, Margaret as well as her entire family are lovable people who are hiding a few secrets that in the wake of a traumatic event pop to the surface and wash upon life’s shore. The story’s framework is relatively familiar and the reader will easily be able to anticipate all the twists and turns so no real surprises but it is still a thoroughly entertaining read nonetheless.

Margaret’s sister Kitty is a riot and easily my favorite character. Her relentless cheerfulness and ability to draw Margaret out of her shell left me wishing for a Kit for all of us. Imagining the book made into one of those horrendously sappy Hallmark movies did not appeal. This is one story that is meant for print medium only.

The story is a well-researched in terms of the accident and rehabilitation. It's an entertainingly fast-read novel that will leave you uplifted.

BRB Rating: Read It.

Katherine Center remains one of my favorite authors of women’s fiction. This one is solid and portrays the fact that life happens and it can still all be okay even if not perfect—a sentiment we can all relate to in one way or another. I’m anxious for my next Center read!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Things do not always go as planned. When faced with tragedy and difficult decisions, some people become stronger and learn to cope and others just walk away. This novel deals with a young woman and her soon-to-be-fiancée and the after effects of the horrible plane crash that changes both of their lives forever.

I particularly enjoyed seeing how Margaret adapted to her situation and was determined to live her life to the fullest.

How to Walk Away is an excellent book. I couldn't put it down. It begins with a lot of tragedy. Margaret, who is on the cusp of having her dream life, traumatically has it all taken away. She has to reconfigure her life. Along the way, her family dynamics shift, and everyone has to adjust. It's a great story about learning how to live from different angles, The ending was so good, I slowed my reading, to make it last longer. Don't walk away from this read.

Wow! I enjoyed 'How to Walk Away' so much. It really has a bit of everything: tragedy; family drama; humor; romance. It is a very well-written, satisfying story that I found I just couldn't put down.

I just loved Margaret in this book. She is faced with a horrific situation, but she shows so much resilience, determination, and humor. I was cheering her on every minute, hoping that she wouldn't give up on herself and would find the strength to make a new life for herself. Kit and Ian are also both complex, well-developed characters. Oh, and I loved to hate Chip.

I will definitely be looking for more to read from this author, and highly recommend 'How to Walk Away'.

How to Walk Away. Katherine Center

On the day that should have been one of her happiest, Margaret’s worst fears are realized. This book is about a brilliant young woman with her future laid out like stair steps to the stars and then literally crashes. It illustrates resilience in its most powerful form. As Margaret’s sister tells her at the beginning of the book, “Dying is easy, it’s the not dying that’s hard.”

I loved the resilience. Ever hopeful, Margaret, her family, even her medical professionals, face and overcome challenges that ordinary people would find difficult or impossible. Katherine Center’s wry and funny characters may whine a bit, but in a way where the reader knows they will just “do it” …whatever the “it” may be. And the characters don’t just deal with obstacles, they overcome adversity in unique and personal ways that resists foregone conclusions of a happily ever after format. Satisfaction with outcomes will be there, but her characters may not get everything they want, or think they want.

This book benefits from extensive and interesting research on flight, spinal injuries and rehabilitative therapy. The characters teach the reader; there are no sidebar lectures on what needs to happen. We understand what we should expect and what is possible. These are people we care about, with some appropriate exception for the characters you will come to love to hate. Even the main character’s mother has her moments.

Katherine Center’s books don’t shy away from controversial subject matter. How to Walk Away is filled with difficult topics but is a pleasure to read. Any group that is ready for a heroine they can cheer for, without reservation, will love it.

I got this pre-release copy from Net Galley with no strings attached. How to Walk Away will be released by St. Martin’s Press on May 15, 2018.

This was a nice book, well-written with well-drawn characters ... a few of whom I wanted to punch in the face at times, so I guess that means they were realistic enough. I definitely liked the connection between the two sisters. Kit's voice was strong and very funny. I really enjoyed the dialogue in this book--the author has a gift for conversation. I will buy this for my library, because I know we have a lot of patrons who will enjoy it. It did not shake my world, or anything, but it was good.

A life changing accident changes Margaret’s life for ever, you cannot imagine how you would feel if it happened to you but this story takes you on Margarets journey to recovery. It’s not only her body that needs healing but her heart too and both take time and knockbacks. I loved some of the wisdom in this book especially “It's the trying that heals you.”
It’s the first Katherine Centre book I’ve read and will definitely read more

This book shows how to get up and move on from a tragedy. And behind every sadness, and tears there is always a silver lining. A rainbow after the storm.

The main character is really likeable, we will be rooting for her since page 1. With enough spice of romance, a spoonful family drama, lots of self perseverance, this book is enjoyable to read.

How to Walk Away should be the title of all reviews regarding this book. You simply cannot put it down. It's brilliantly written, with characters most of us can connect with on one level or another. Such a perfect read.

This was a unique book. Golden girl Margaret Jacobsen is sure her boyfriend Chip is about to propose to her on Valentine's Day. Margaret has always followed the rules and life has been easy for her, bestowing upon her the gifts of beauty, kindness, a fabulous new career, and her relationship with Chip. When Chip drives them to the airport and begs Margaret to fly with him, she does, but not without serious doubt and trepidation; fear of flying has been her biggest fear all of her life. All goes well until a storm comes up as they are landing, causing the small plane to crash, and Margaret's life shatters to a million pieces.

Chip escapes unscathed, but can't even look at Margaret with her severely burned neck and severed spine. Margaret discovers that her perfect life was only perfect on the surface, and most everything she thought was real was truly shallow. Through the love and support of her family and her stoic, irritable physical therapist Ian, Margaret slowly rebuilds her life one small accomplishment at a time.

3.5 Stars
"Sometimes the last thing you want is the one thing you need."

At the beginning of the book, Margret Jacobsen was right where she wanted to be in her life. She had earned her MBA, she was about to start a dream job, and was in a relationship with the "perfect man". What could be better? Then on day, Chip, the perfect man, decided to take her flying. He knew that she was scared to fly, he knew that she had reservations, but he talked her into it. Never mind that although he is taking private pilot lessons and is so very close to getting his license - he was not a licensed pilot. He took out a plane and up they flew.

What was supposed to be a romantic flight where they became engaged, turned into a nightmare. During landing they crashed, and Chip walked away without any injuries while Margret was not so lucky. In the hospital, she learned just how extensive her injuries are. She also learned some family secrets, faces heartbreak, copes with her medical situation and prognosis for her future. Her sister, Kit, who has been estranged form the family for several years, comes back into her life and provides a cushion for Margaret (Maggie) as she copes with her current situation, her parents, Chip, Chip's Mother and her own feelings about her physical injuries. As she struggles with her physical therapy and her attempts to get a smile out of Ian, her physical therapist, we watch as she learns she still has a future, can still enjoy her life, and move on from past hurts.

People show you who THEY are in how they treat you. Chip showed his true colors as he wallowed in self-pity, as did his Mother, who was just plain disgusting in my opinion, as did Ian, who the Nurses felt would be too touch on Margaret but proved to be the one who encouraged her to not give up. I enjoyed how Margaret and her sister, Kit, interacted. They had some humorous and touching conversations. There are some interesting characters in this book with distinct personalities.

A lot of research went into Margaret's medical condition, burns, prognosis and physical therapy options. I kept wanting to hear the legal consequences for Chip. He was not a licensed pilot, took a plane and crashed. I wanted to know more about how this was going to be addressed.

But, I did like how she is depicted as having various emotions during her hospital stay when learning of her injuries and her prognosis: shock, fear, hope, determination, worry, acceptance etc. I found that part to be realistic and made the book more enjoyable. She didn't just initially accept things and move on, she needed support which she mainly received form her physical therapist and her sister. Yes, her parents were supportive as well, but I really enjoyed her relationship with her sister and her physical therapist.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What an incredible range of emotion! I closed the book with a smile and appreciation of life. Courage and adversity. Strong character development. Excellent book.

An inspirational story that kept getting better and better as the story progressed. I loved Maggie and her attitude throughout. Her voice was honest and believable. The story itself felt real... no prefectly tied bows. ‘You get one life, and it only goes forward. And there really are all kinds of happy endings.’ 5 stars.

Luckily, I had seen only the blurb - no reviews - when I began How to Walk Away. The story grabbed me from early on, but I had no idea what direction the story would go. I encourage you to get several chapters into the book before looking at these reviews (like I did) because a lot happens in the beginning that I didn't see coming. I expected plot tension, but not the tension we got. Also, I didn't expect the level of emotion we got. This novel was hard to read at times, but it's also a book whose ideas have re-framed the way I see things.

The story revolves around Margaret, who is high-achieving and attractive, has recently earned an MBA, and is engaged to her dream man, Chip. Then, of course, things change. Massively. Margaret is a fantastic main character who faces many different obstacles, and her evolving reactions were nuanced and felt real. Also, at many points, I found it difficult to predict what would happen next, which made the book hard to put down. I had to several times, since my own real life was intervening, and I had dreams about Margaret each night until I finished; that's how compelling she is.

Some novels and movies have had the power to educate me about topics beyond my experience while simultaneously telling a great story (Boys Don't Cry, Brokeback Mountain, This is How it Always is, etc.), and How to Walk Away was such a book. Again, to tell you what this book educated me about would be to give a spoiler that the main character herself never saw coming, but for most people, there is something to learn in this book from the research Katherine Center did.

I highly recommend How to Walk Away.

I have read all of the books by this author and love, love her style. Solid writing, interesting plot, believable characters. I read this book within 48 hours... highly recommend!